INTRODUCTION 



HISTORICAL 



Examination of the scientific literature discloses but two com- 

 munications bearing on the subject of the bacteriophage. 



In point of priority the first is that of Hankin. 1 This author 

 states that he detected in the waters of certain rivers of India a 

 very marked antiseptic action, directed against bacteria in 

 general, but against the cholera vibrio more particularly. Thus, 

 for instance, the water of the Jumna as it leaves the town of Agra 

 contains more than 100,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter, while 

 at a distance of 5 kilometers further down the bacterial content 

 is but 90 to 100. 



With reference to Vibrio cholerae in particular, his laboratory 

 experiments gave results as follows. Specimen "A" represents 

 the filtered water (filtered through porcelain); specimen "B" is 

 the same filtered water after boiling; both specimens being inocu- 

 lated with a culture of V. cholerae. 



The germicidal action of the water of these streams could 

 always be detected but was present to varying degrees. It is to 

 this antiseptic action that Hankin attributes the fact that the 

 ingestion of the water can not be incriminated as the origin of 

 cholera. Moreover, these streams have never been the vectors 

 of epidemics since the propagation of such outbreaks is always 

 from downstream upward. 



1 L'action bactericide des eaux de la Jumna et du Gauge sur le vibrion du 

 cholera. Ann. de Tlnst. Pasteur, 1896, 10, 511 . 



15 



